Larry The Cable Guy: Git-R-Done

Every purchase you make through these Amazon links supports DVD Verdict's reviewing efforts. Thank you!

All Rise...

In his best Queen Victoria impersonation, Judge David Johnson tells comedian Larry the Cable Guy... "We are not amused!"

The Charge

"Git-R-Done!"

The Case

Larry the Cable Guy, redneck comic extraordinaire, releases this, his first
DVD of standup comedy. Known for his catch phrases "Git-R-Done" and
"Lord, I apologize," this drawling, deadpan comedian shuffles loose
all types of political correctness, and is not above making fart noises.

The disc presents one hour of Larry's stand-up routine, performed in front
of a packed house of, admittedly, white folks that may or may not all be from
the South Carolina. Entertainers have certain demographics that gravitate toward
them, so it was no big shocker that there were mullets galore within the
crowd!

Larry the Cable Guy goes for a real Attention Deficit Disorder style; he
jumps all around, spinning random jokes and observations. He avoids specific
themes that many other comedians utilize and riff off. The best way I can
describe his act, is this: he's the funny guy you share drinks with at the
bar.

I have to admit, I find it difficult to evaluate a stand-up comic's
performance. I think much has to do with what particular taste in humor you
have. Obviously, fans of Larry the Cable Guy will scoop the disc, even if I
mentioned it featured fifty minutes of seal clubbing. Fans of The Blue Collar
Comedy Tour will probably take a gander as well.

In fact, it was The Blue Collar Comedy Tour where I was first exposed
to Larry the Cable Guy. I found him pretty funny, and anticipated checking out
this disc. Overall, though, I just didn't find him all that amusing. He had a
few jokes that were certainly dead-on, but for the most part, I don't know,
maybe close to 75% of the act left me, at best, grinning.

Here's a breakdown:

What I liked about Larry the Cable Guy

First off, the guy has some charm. Maybe it's his lulling, laid-back
delivery and the deep-Southern drawl, but he came across as amiable. He
certainly wasn't pretentious, and never seemed like he was talking down to
anyone. He elicited much laughter from the audience, who admittedly were fans,
but it was obvious they felt him to be just as endearing.

The guy also has no restraint when it comes to saying anything. Now he's not
particularly vulgar, but any public performer who liberally uses
"queer," "retard," and opens fire on illegal immigrants,
does not fear a lambasting from the The New York Times. This is a good
and a bad thing. Good, because some times bullheaded bravado and sneering in the
face of political correctness is refreshing, but…

What I disliked about Larry the Cable Guy

…bad when, after a while, it seems just too damn sophomoric. I'm sure
there are those that would be offended by Larry's, er, "colorful,"
descriptions of people with disabilities, but that didn't annoy me as much (hey,
I went to junior high, okay?) as the relentless baseness of the jokes.

Simply put, I didn't find the guy's quips that funny. I've got no problem
with scatological humor, but even fart jokes lose their luster after the nine
hundredth time.

Let me offer one last illustration.

Two of his lines struck me as really, really funny. One bit he talks about
his problems with televangelist preachers who thump sick people on the head and
heal them. He noted his reluctance to accept these preachers because he didn't
recall "Jesus going around and sucker punching cripples."

Second, he noted how his horse broke its leg, and he read somewhere to shoot
the horse. "Now it's got a broken leg and gunshot wound. If he doesn't get
better, I'll have to shoot him again next week."

I thought these were great, but jokes born of the same ilk were way too few
and far between.

Surprisingly, we get a widescreen presentation. Coupled with a stereo mix,
everything is pretty much adequate for this type of presentation.

Special features are nil, something I have found aggravating in many
stand-up discs. A least an interview, people!

Again, that's just my take. The nitty-gritty is Larry the Cable Guy didn't
do it for me. There are plenty of people out there who he does do it for and
they'll be happy with this disc. Of course, they shouldn't expect anything other
than the show.